Anthony Davis Earns USBWA Player of the Year

University of Kentucky’s Anthony Davis has been selected to receive the U.S. Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Year.

Davis is the only player from the University of Kentucky to win the award, and only the second in the SEC to win it. “Pistol” Pete Marovich won the award twice while at LSU.

The Oscar Robertson Trophy, will be presented by Oscar Robertson at the annual College Basketball Awards Breakfast before the Final Four on Friday, March 30.

Davis was chosen from a field of ten finalists based on regular season performance.

During the regular season he averaged 14.3 points, 10.1 rebounds and shot 63.6 percent from the field, scoring double doubles in 18 of the 36 games he played.

He is most noted for his dominance around the rim, chalking up 166 blocks this season, double that of the previous single season record. Kentucky could set the team all time record for blocked shots this year, largely on the back of Davis. They are within 3 going into the next game.

He has already been named first team All-American, District IV Player of the Year, and National Freshman of the Year by the USBWA. He is the SEC Player of the Year and SEC Defensive Player of the Year, being named SEC Player if the Week twice and SEC Freshman of the Week four times.

He led the Kentucky Wildcats to a 34-2 season, going 16-0 in regular season SEC play. Kentucky was the Number 1 overall seed going into the NCAA Tournament, and they continue their quest for the Final Four against Indian on Friday.

USBWA President Lenox Rawlings has this to say about the talented Freshman, “Anthony Davis made an immediate and dramatic impact on college basketball. He has many skills, most obvious among them his ability to block and alter shots. Davis’ dominance inside solidified Kentucky as a national title contender and brought Bill Russell back into the dialogue, shining light on the vital half of the game that people often ignore.”

Davis is in contention to receive The Naismith College Player of the Year award, the most coveted MVP award in college basketball. He would be the first player from the storied University of Kentucky basketball program, and the first freshman to win the award.